


Protection Details

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 09:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6512299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodney’s found the only type of protection John is willing to accept.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protection Details

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #225 "protect"

“Okay,” said Rodney, breathing hard, “I think we’ve outrun them.”

Thanks to the very angry, very _armed_ natives at the gate, they’d had to make their escape in the opposite direction, toward the dense forest that surrounded the village. Which was easier said than done, after John had been dosed with some kind of mind-altering substance and Rodney’d had to fight their way out.

John leaned against a large tree, wobbling even while standing still. “You’re hurt,” he said, fingers shaking slightly as he raised them to touch the cut on Rodney’s cheek.

“And you’re stoned,” snapped Rodney, leaning into the touch for a moment before straightening again and pulling John’s arm back over his shoulders. “Did one of those goons happen to mention what they dosed you with?”

“Nope,” John replied, cheerfully, then his expression fell. “You’re hurt.”

“Focus, Sheppard. It doesn’t look like your alien roofies are going to wear off anytime soon, but you’ve got to at least hold it together until Ronon and Teyla can get back with reinforcements.”

John nodded, head lolling on Rodney’s shoulder. “Okay,” he said, with deliberate seriousness, then was quiet until they found a dense group of trees surrounding a rocky outcropping, and Rodney pulled them both inside.

Rodney took a moment to check his injuries— the cut on his cheek had stopped bleeding already and his ribs felt bruised, but it didn’t seem too bad otherwise. He straightened again and caught John looking at him, oddly. “What?”

The colonel fidgeted, then blurted, “I don’t like when you get hurt.”

“Well, it’s not so much fun from the other side, either.”

“Huh?” said John.

“You get hurt more often than I do, Sheppard,” said Rodney, “and I certainly don’t enjoy it. But I also know there’s nothing I can do to stop you. I mean, if I had my way, I’d wrap you in bubble wrap and keep you locked up somewhere—”

“Do you promise?” asked John, but Rodney ignored him.

“—but you wouldn’t be _you_ if you didn’t go leaping into danger every chance you get. So, the only way I can protect you, the only way you’ll _let me_ , you idiot, is if I go with you. And if that means getting hurt sometimes… well, I’m okay with that.”

John blinked at him. “Nobody’s ever done that for me before,” he said, with drug-induced honesty. “They all wanted to keep me in, and when they couldn’t, they let me go. My dad, my brother, my wife…” He paused, fumbling for Rodney’s hand. “Nobody’s ever come with me before.”

“Their loss,” said Rodney. “I never knew how much I was capable of, how strong I could be, until I started following you, John. I didn’t know I could be a good person until you showed me how.”

“Hey, no,” John protested, tipping forward into Rodney’s arms. “You were always good.”

Rodney slid them down to sit against the rocks. “If you say so,” he agreed, holding on tight.

THE END


End file.
